Environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, and Physicians for Social Responsibility—Los Angeles, have joined a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The legal action challenges the approval of a retrofit project for the Scattergood Gas Plant.
The project aims to modify the plant to burn a mixture of hydrogen and methane, extending its operation beyond the original closure date. Plaintiffs allege that the city failed to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) when approving the environmental impact report for the facility in 2025.
The lawsuit was initially filed in December and paused while the Los Angeles City Council reviewed an appeal against the LADWP board's approval. Following the council's decision on August 4, 2026, to deny the appeal, the litigation stay is set to expire in September.
The Center for Biological Diversity has also initiated legal proceedings against LADWP regarding the Scattergood project. Critics argue that the retrofit contradicts the city's goal of achieving 100% carbon-free energy by 2035 and raises concerns regarding public safety, air quality, and water usage.